Review 309. Paul Durham – The luck uglies.

Strange things are happening in Village Drowning, and a terrifying encounter has Rye O'Chanter convinced that the monstrous, supposedly extinct Bog Noblins have returned. Now Rye's only hope is an exiled secret society so notorious its name can't be spoken aloud: the Luck Uglies. As Rye dives into Village Drowning's maze of secrets, rules, and lies, she'll discover the truth behind the village's legends of outlaws and beasts...and that it may take a villain to save them from the monsters.

Rating:

This charming middle grade is compared to Stefan Bachmann – The peculiar and I can see why. It has the same tone to it, with it’s mystery around the notorious group that is called ‘The luck Uglies.’ and the appearance of a dangerous beast. I think this book has a lot to offer to both adult as children.Rye and her sister grow up with a couple of rules to keep them safe from monsters, even when they are brushed away as scary bed time stories and rumors. Until Rye comes face to face with one of them, a Bog Noblin, and the whole village falls apart. There is only one hope for them and that is the return from The Luck Uglies.

I quite liked Rye and I think she will make a good example for children. She listens to her mother, but she also shows that a little rebellion isn’t so bad. It shows that you also have to think for yourself and that it’s okay to make mistakes. She might be afraid of things, but she is brave enough to conquer her fears. This is how she starts an unique relationship with the mysterious ‘friend’ from her mother. It's quite obvious what his role is in the story, but that wasn't a problem to me.

The writing-style is pretty youthful, but there was never a point where the story became childish; it made the book just very easy and quick to devour. It’s not a book I would buy for myself, but I still downloaded the sequel from Edelweiss. The mystery around the Bog Noblin and the luck Uglies was interesting enough to make me continue this series. I would recommend to read this one is you look for something entertaining that doesn't acquire too much attention.

I always love a good old MG book, and most of the time I prefer MG books over a lot of YA books. I can't stand the unrealistic teenage drama and unclean content in some YA books. This sounds like a really whimsical read, with a strong, proactive female protagonist, which is definitely something I want to read about.

I really really liked this one. I thought it was unique and the story was cool. I had a crush on Rye's dad loll I just picture him being really good looking. I felt so weird having a crush on a MG character's dad…? haha. I have the sequel from EW and I am really excited to read it actually. I feel like it has enough of a momentum to continue with the series. Glad you liked this one. I know you don't read MG all the time, but a book like this is (as you said) perfect for when u just want a fast cool unique story :D -Dee @ Dee's Reads

I don't actually read Middle Grade books now,but when I read reviews for them,I feel really nostalgic.There used to be a time when I was obsessed with them:)This one looks like a fun read.I'll keep it in mind if anyone wants a rec in this genre.

Eh, I don't usually read Middle Grade because they never appealed to me, even when I was, you know, of age. I'm glad you enjoyed this title, though, and connected with the MC so well. This reminds me of the Spiderwick Chronicles for some reason :P

Yay. <3 Great review Mel :D I'm glad you enjoyed this book, despite some small issues. <3 I wanted to read it when I first heard of it, but then I never got to read my eARC :p So probably not for me. But maybe one day :D Glad you liked it a lot. <3 Thank you for sharing sweetie :)

What a curious title -- "The Luck Uglies"! Anyway, like Jeann, I don't usually read MG novels (I have enough YA books to catch up with, as it is xD), but I'm happy to hear that this one has the potential of being loved by adults and children alike. It's so cool when an MG book manages to do that.

Rye sounds like the kind of protagonist every kid will look up to, haha. Obedient to her parents, but also able to think for herself and rebel when she feels the need to. Also, I love that the writing style never got childish at all. Oftentimes, the main problem I have with MG is that you can tell it's meant for young readers. And while there's nothing wrong with that, it always kind of distances me from the story, because the reading level seems lower than what I'm used to.

Oh, I loved The Peculiars! The Luck Uglies is a cute name for a cute book - I'll have to add it to my tbr because I'm always on the lookout for cute MG reads. ESPECIALLY if the writing doesn't feel childish and it's good for all age groups - the same can't be said of all MG reads I think. Maybe I'll go the library route with this one though because while it sounds enjoyable, it also doesn't sound like anything too special.